January8,2014

Congressman Smith released the following statement recognizing the 50th Anniversary of the War on Poverty:

“Today marks the 50th Anniversary of Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty. In 1967 the poverty rate was about 26 percent compared to only 16 percent in 2012. Studies show that absent anti-poverty programs like SNAP, unemployment insurance, housing subsidies, Head Start, earned-income tax credits, and more the poverty rate would be much higher.

“Even with these critical safety nets, too many people are being squeezed out of the economy because they can’t find a job or that they have one that doesn’t provide enough to pay the bills. On the 50th Anniversary of the War on Poverty, we must continue to advance education and job-training programs, as well as policies that raise the minimum wage and extend unemployment insurance to move Americans out of financial insecurity and strengthen the middle class.”